


Fomalhaut

by dreaminkwaii



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Military, Angst, Korean War, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 07:03:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17075627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreaminkwaii/pseuds/dreaminkwaii
Summary: Two beautiful souls - Doyoung and Jungwoo - met before chaos erupted in their beloved homeland. The two grew fonder of each other amidst the turmoil, promising to come back home alive. Together.





	Fomalhaut

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to post this fic for quite some time now but I held it off, adding more and more stuff until this piece is born. I hope you all like it |ω･`)

_Spring 1949_

The beautiful sunny day of mid-spring decorated the long road with colourful blooms – shades of pink, yellow, and much more. As if they too were celebrating the freedom of this land from the iron clutch of the neighboring country. For years their men had to suffer, fighting amongst the enemies for a taste of freedom and finally their sacrifices were redeemed.

            Before, the peace still felt surreal to all of them, wondering if this was all a short dream before the nightmare. They hunched their shoulders when they walk, worried a stray bullet might come their way and cautiously looking up to the sky, in case the bombs were to be dropped on their land yet again. Nothing. There were no such things as what their minds told them to. No bullet. No bombs. That was during the Japanese occupation of Korea.

            Doyoung walked out of his home, waving goodbye to his mother as she told him to behave in school. He nodded, flashing her his beautiful smile and took off to school. The blinding rays of sunshine greeted him with their warmth – a warmth he had always love to feel, as if wrapping him in a blanket. The breeze gently blowing on his face, his locks swaying with the wind as he took a few deep breaths.

            He walked and walked – perhaps he skipped once or twice – until suddenly, his eyes fell on a figure in front of him. He had worn the same uniform as him – the guy was wearing a workwear with a black visor cap and his cloth bag slung across his chest. The male was squatting down, drawing something on the dirt of the road with a sturdy stick in his hand. He probably didn’t notice Doyoung walked near him because as soon as Doyoung greeted him, he fell on his bottom.

            “What are you drawing?” Doyoung asked, turning his head around to see what the male had been so occupied with.

            “N-Nothing,” the male stuttered as he got up on his feet, brushing the dirt off his clothes. “I didn’t notice you were there.”

            “Well, yeah… Because you were so preoccupied with whatever you were doing.” Doyoung replied, giving the stranger his sweet gummy smile. Once again, he turned his head around to look at the drawing on the ground. As if something clicked in his head, Doyoung looked to his front and back at the drawing again. The male had drawn the scenery in front of him – the sun, the trees and flowers, the road and buildings. Intrigued, Doyoung asked, “Why did you draw this?”

            The male in front of him shifted in his stance, clasping his hands together as he looked down on his drawing. “Because you’ll never know when will be the last time you see the road this peaceful.” An air of melancholy surrounded him, and his tone of voice hinted at the sadness he felt – the sadness Doyoung felt too.

            They never know when will this gift be taken away but all Doyoung knew was to live during the present. “When that time comes, we will strive for it.” Doyoung’s earnest reply earned a curious look from the stranger, he probably didn’t understand what Doyoung was trying to convey. “Peace,” he replied with a smile, “We want to live in a peaceful country, don’t we?” Doyoung stretched out his hand, “I’m Doyoung.”

            The stranger curious look melted into a smile – the most dazzling smile Doyoung had ever seen – and took Doyoung’s hand in his. “Jungwoo.” The name of the stranger rang harmoniously in Doyoung’s ears. “Let’s fight for peace.”

+

The boy named Jungwoo was indeed attending the same high school as he was. How did he know this? The both of them sat next to each other. To be more precise, Jungwoo’s classroom was in the adjacent building as his, his seat was next to the window just like Doyoung’s. Ever since he had met Jungwoo on that road, the dazzling smile he witnessed never left his mind. He had always stolen glimpses of Jungwoo around school, staring at him when he was sure the other boy wasn’t looking. He wasn’t sure why Jungwoo attract him so much one thing he knew, he wanted to be closer to him.

            During break, Doyoung grabbed his lunch box and ran out of his class as fast as he could, hoping to meet Jungwoo halfway. His effort definitely paid off as he was only inches away from meeting Jungwoo. His heartbeat increased with each step he took, he mentally chanted to himself ‘don’t make it obvious’ but the minute Jungwoo’s precious lunch was sent flying to the ground because of his own clumsiness – Doyoung saw how Jungwoo’s feet were tangled together – and Doyoung swore that was the cutest thing he had ever seen.

             Doyoung took a few steps forward and knelt down to meet the young man’s eyes. Jungwoo noticed him and looked up from his ruined lunch. Doyoung saw how his eyes were watery, making it sparkle under the light. Doyoung’s breath hitched and his composure almost betrayed him. They were the most beautiful pair Doyoung had seen. It held so much innocence, yet it was so alluring. “You can have my lunch.” He placed his lunch box in Jungwoo’s hand and proceed to clean the mess. Not wanting for the young man to return his offer, Doyoung cleaned the mess as fast as he could and left. That day, even if his stomach growled, he was already full.

+

_Autumn 1949_

The bright colours of summer fading in as autumn breathed out sweet chills to the peaceful land – turning green to pale brown and colourful array to rich hazel. Caramel leaves danced to the breeze, spinning through the air as if enjoying the soft serenade of fall before pooling down to mother earth. Doyoung strolls around the yellowing world, admiring the trees so bare and the fallen crisp leaves. He felt the cold autumn wind blowing against him, enjoying every minute of this distinct beauty about autumn – the colours and the smell blended in so well, painting picturesque scene in his mind.

            Doyoung eyes widen with delight as he saw the only boy who he had been recalling from time to time. The boy had all of his attention to the night sky, gazing at the glittering stars and Doyoung couldn’t help but adore his enchanted manner. “What are you looking at?” Doyoung questioned, causing the poor boy to jump out of his skin. A few chuckles escaped his lips, Doyoung found it amusing how easily startled he is. “Sorry. I didn’t know you are a faint-hearted guy.”

            “It’s okay.” The words came out of the boy’s mouth as a low hush, he tried to make eye contact with Doyoung but broke it seconds later.

            “Can I sit next to you?” Doyoung asked for his consent, flashing his gummy smile to him. The latter nodded and with a second to spare, Doyoung jumped next to him, taking his seat on the mahogany bench. “The night sky is so beautiful…” He expressed his admiration, “Don’t you think so?”

            “Y-Yes.” The boy meekly nodded, “It is.”

            “What were you looking at? Were you looking at the stars?”

             “The brightest star there.” Jungwoo pointed out to a single star, clearly visible in the night sky.

            A string of ‘ah’ came out from Doyoung’s lips. He nodded a few times, genuinely fascinated by the beautifully lit star in the sea of glooms. He scanned through the dark sky and he noticed something was off. “There aren’t really any other stars besides that bright one.”

            “Oh, so you noticed.” He stopped, turning his head to Doyoung. A desolate smile spread on his thin lips before he turned away once again and continued, “That's why I called it 'The Lonely Star of Autumn'.”

            Doyoung silently nodded, noting on the melancholic tone in Jungwoo’s voice. “Are you here to keep it company?” As childish it might sound, Doyoung believed Jungwoo was out here doing as such. “So it won’t be lonely?” Doyoung noticed how Jungwoo’s cheeks were suddenly kissed pink, putting colour to his pale skin. Doyoung figured the boy was probably embarrassed and had thought Doyoung saw him as immature and silly where in truth, Doyoung never once thought of him that way. “But if you’re keeping the star company, then, you’ll be lonely as well. So I’ll be keeping you company instead.”

            Upon hearing Doyoung’s words, Jungwoo immediately turned his head to Doyoung, meeting eyes with him. He had thought Doyoung was joking or making fun of him, but when Jungwoo saw the earnest gaze in his eyes, he knew Doyoung meant it. Jungwoo meekly nodded and smiled.

+

_Summer 1950_

“A war broke out!”

            The school was filled with distress screams and cries as the news about North Korea attacking at the 38th parallel spread like wildfire. Some ran home to make sure their families were okay while some stayed and made a brave commitment to volunteer as soldiers. Doyoung was one of them. It wasn’t because he was blindly following his hot-blooded friends, but it was because he couldn’t stand the thought of his family cowering in fear. He’d rather rip the heads of the communists than seeing his family slaughtered by them.

            The brave students marched their way to the train station, boarding the train that would take them to the frontlines. There, the refugees flooded the station, hoping to escape from the hell that broke loose but to their despair, the train was en route to war. Soldiers drove around in their trucks, summoning the off-duty soldiers and volunteers from each family. It was a total chaos.

            Two coaches of the train were filled with student-soldier, singing cadence ‘Student soldier! Volunteer soldier! Brave student warrior! Long Live Korea’ as if they were marching as a way to lift up their fighting spirit. The whole student soldiers had their heads up high, pumping fists into the air, proud to sacrifice themselves for the sake of their country. The military cadence definitely lifted Doyoung’s spirit up as he too joined the singing, but one man caught his attention, apathetically singing the cadence. It was Jungwoo.

            He noticed how the young man was looking down, caressing a locket in his hands and Doyoung just knew he wasn’t ready for battle. Doyoung took a seat next to him and had his back on Jungwoo. The startled Jungwoo looked up and Doyoung said nothing except, “No one will see.” During the whole train ride, Doyoung could feel the shirt by his shoulder getting damper.

+

Dead bodies laid everywhere on top of the trenches, some were missing parts of their body – heads, arms or legs – some were so brutally mutilated from the blasts of the bombs. When they saw passing soldiers carrying a patient with a missing jaw on a stretcher, some almost freaked out. Other soldiers were pilling up dead bodies of the enemies to be burnt, yelling “Fuck those communist dogs!” It was not a sight the student soldiers could take.

            “Nakdong River is our last line of defense. If this fall, Busan falls. If Busan falls, Haeundae falls then we have nowhere to go but into the sea.” The lieutenant started off, “Never retreat! If you dare to, I will kill you with my own hands. This is where we live and die!” If glares could kill, the lieutenant probably had massacred all the new soldiers stationed under him. By his orders, the soldiers next to him distributed an envelope with a piece of blank paper. “Write your wills and stake your soul on the battlefield.” He coldly announced, not giving any hopes to the soldiers they’ll make it back alive. The lieutenant left, the soldiers saluting him as he goes.

            “You don’t have to follow what he says.” Jungwoo looked over his shoulder, meeting Doyoung’s fiery eyes as Doyoung shredded the envelope and paper in pieces. “We are going back alive. You and I. So throw it away. We don’t need it.”

            Jungwoo nodded, his eyes followed Doyoung as he left the bunker and out to the trenches. Jungwoo so desperately wanted to believe that he didn’t need to write his will but the little voice in his head nagged him to craft his words carefully as they might be his last. In the end, he didn’t discard the blank will.

+

_Winter 1950_

It was getting colder and they were getting restless.

            Even with the military force of the UN army, the war still hadn’t ended. In fact, the number of casualties increased by the day, snatching lives from people across borders. The Grim Reaper was probably overwhelmed by his share of work that year. The white snow blanketed the battlefield with its grace as if pleading for the men to end this brutal war but mother nature’s prayer was left unanswered as the man braved through the icy terrain and frozen ration.

            The cold weather proved to be too much for Jungwoo to handle. Even with layers of proper gear to guard him against the intense bitterly cold winter, Jungwoo was chilled to the bone. He was shivering so hard, and Doyoung wanted nothing but to build small camp fire for him but he knew the effort would be futile. Instead, he pulled Jungwoo to the warm exhaust pipes of running trucks, hoping the warmth from those engines could help ease his coldness. Doyoung even shed layers of his clothing to help Jungwoo fight against the piercing cold.

            “I’m fine,” Jungwoo lied through his rattling teeth, feeling bad for Doyoung. The man had been helping him but Jungwoo never really got the chance to return the favour. “You should wear it.”

            “Even if I forced you to just wear it, you wouldn’t listen to me, right?” Doyoung took it back but instead of wearing it again, he blanketed the both of them. “So I’ll just do it like this. Now both of us are warm. You’re okay with this, right?”

            Jungwoo’s eyes widen with surprise, Doyoung’s face was inches away from his and he was afraid Doyoung could hear the thundering beats of his heart. Butterflies danced inside him, he could feel his face getting warmer. Doyoung asked if he was okay with this, Jungwoo would shout he was more than okay and pulled him closer, but his rational mind vetoed against his desire. Instead, Jungwoo lowered his head, leaning it against Doyoung’s shoulder and enjoyed the warmth radiated from the latter. They’re going to survive this war. The both of them will come back home alive. Jungwoo held on to this belief.

+

_Spring 1951_

The sounds of machine guns rattling, sending stray bullets to unfortunate soldiers and air strike bombing the battlefield with force that could kill those within their radius. The two divided land couldn’t reach an agreement as of yet, prolonging the war between them. They had to face this conflict during their waking seconds, decorating the battlefield with blood and dead bodies. Men shouted here and there, spitting venomous curses to enemy troops. Even during the season of life, death still looms closely behind them.

            “You stupid retard! Get back here!” One of the soldiers cursed at his fellow who did everything but heed his warning, never knowing that would be the last.

            Doyoung witnessed how the soldier got himself killed – how he was heavily mortared once he left the safety of the trenches – braving through the enemy’s ground for the sake of his country. Doyoung eyes were wild, searching the grounds for the boy he cared deeply with his heart. “Jungwoo!” He shouted to the right, dodging the enemy’s bayonet slashes and stabbing the said soldier through the eye. “Jungwoo!” He shouted to the left, thrusting his bayonet into the chest of another soldier before firing his rifle.

            He gave the name another yell, fear crept inside his heart as he witnessed the massacre around him. He prayed hard for Jungwoo to be safe. His prayers were answered sooner as he saw a familiar figure crouching in the trench, cowering with fear. Relief washed over him, seeing Jungwoo alive. The god of death wasn’t here to invite them over to his side just yet. Doyoung stayed and protected Jungwoo, killing off the opposing force. _We are going to come back home together._ Doyoung promised.

+

_Autumn 1952_

The war didn’t end yet.

            Doyoung and Jungwoo gazed at the glittering sky, lied awake in the trenches as sleep didn’t come for them. They all kept their helmet on, just so they wouldn’t have their head blown off and their rifles tucked inside their arms. The fear of being ambushed and fatigue from fighting in the battlefield intertwined, pushing them on an edge. The only things that kept them sane were the smiles of their family and loved ones, finally free from the crippling fear of the communists.

            Doyoung looked to his side – to Jungwoo, who had all of his attention to the glimmering night sky. “Are you searching for the star again this year?” It was autumn. Doyoung had always been by Jungwoo’s side, keeping the promise he made to him years ago.

            “Yes,” he replied simply, eyes scoured for the lonely star. “Ah! There it is! It’s so beautiful and dazzling!” Jungwoo pointed to a rather bright orb up in the sky, excitement tangled in his voice. Doyoung thought, rather than the stars, Jungwoo’s shining eyes were more mesmerizing.

            “You’re right,” Doyoung decided to keep mum the whole time they were stargazing, knowing well how quiet Jungwoo can be when he’s keeping the star company. Next year, they’ll stargaze like this too. Staring at the night sky, by each other’s side. Alive.

+

_Summer 1953_

Armistice was in talks.

            They were about to reach an agreement, a cease-fire, a peace treaty yet the higher ups refused to sign it, causing outrage among Chinese and North Korean commands. The opposing force launched a large-scale offensive attack on the South Korean army, causing the retreat of the joint military power of the US and the republic.

            The soldiers frantically tried to hold off enemy’s advances, withstanding the sheer wrath of the opposing force while fighting to keep their dear life. The god of death was once again occupied, slashing its scythe left and right, drinking in the souls of brave fighters. The units were in disarray, the controls were out of the question and they all lost contact of their chain of commands. Soldiers running, jumping on to moving trucks just to run away from hell behind them.

            Doyoung managed to jump in on one of the trucks, securing his place for safety. Jungwoo, however, was frantically running for his life, reaching out his hands for Doyoung to take. Just one more stretch and he too will be able to live. Jungwoo, with something in his hand, reached out with all his might to grasp Doyoung’s hand but the contact was only brief, only able to transfer the trinket in his hand. “Just a little more!” Doyoung yelled out, half pleading for Jungwoo to go on.

            Suddenly, the truck picked up its speed and the gap between them increased. One soldier yelled out ‘mortar’ for everyone to hear. Doyoung witnessed as a mortar flew behind Jungwoo. Jungwoo had stopped running. Standing still amidst the chaos. Doyoung went berserk, crying out for Jungwoo to continue running. He was one step away from jumping off the speeding truck only to be held down by fellow soldiers around him. Tears pooled inside his eyes, but he could still see Jungwoo clearly, standing still with a smile on his face. Jungwoo’s lips were moving, conveying his last wish to Doyoung. Doyoung focused hard, tears were already falling from the sudden goodbye.

            “Live… For.... Me.”

            The next thing Doyoung witnessed was a blind mortar exploding, sweeping its surrounding clean.

+

_Autumn 1953_

The war ended.

            Doyoung looked out of his window and admired autumn’s hand, lying heavy on the outside world. Doyoung watched as the glorious day consumed by the darkness of night. Never once did he move, wallowing in his sorrow and dejection with a familiar locket in his hands.

            It was _his_.

            He fiddled with the locket absentmindedly, distracted by the lonely dark sky adorned with a lone bright star. As soon as his eyes fell on the dazzling light, it was as if all his misery and dejection had vanished and a beautiful smile bloomed on his worn-out face. Doyoung began to talk about life, his family – everything. Sometimes, Jungwoo replied back.

            Really.

            Doyoung could hear him.

**Author's Note:**

> I have exhausted all my resources and I apologize if there is misinformation in regards to the history side. へ(´д｀へ)


End file.
